J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, et al.; Notice of Application and Temporary Order, 41829-41831 [2011-17816]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
records to be maintained by funds. The
rule also requires certain underwriters,
brokers, dealers, depositors, and
investment advisers to maintain the
records that they are required to
maintain under federal securities laws.
There are approximately 4218
investment companies registered with
the Commission, all of which are
required to comply with rule 31a–1. For
purposes of determining the burden
imposed by rule 31a–1, the Commission
staff estimates that each fund is divided
into approximately four series, on
average, and that each series is required
to comply with the recordkeeping
requirements of rule 31a–1. Based on
conversations with fund representatives,
it is estimated that rule 31a–1 imposes
an average burden of approximately
1750 hours annually per series for a
total of 7000 annual hours per fund. The
estimated total annual burden for all
4218 funds subject to the rule therefore
is approximately 29,526,000 hours.
Based on conversations with fund
representatives, however, the
Commission staff estimates that even
absent the requirements of rule 31a–1,
90 percent of the records created
pursuant to the rule are the type that
generally would be created as a matter
of normal business practice and to
prepare financial statements, estimated
to be approximately 26,573,400 annual
hours. Thus, the Commission staff
estimates that the total annual burden
associated with rule 31a–1 is 2,952,600
hours.
The estimate of average burden hours
is made solely for the purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not
derived from a comprehensive or even
a representative survey or study. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and
a person is not required to respond to,
a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Written comments are requested on:
(a) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the Commission’s estimate
of the burden(s) of the collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Consideration will be given
to comments and suggestions submitted
in writing within 60 days of this
publication.
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Please direct your written comments
to Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief
Information Officer, Securities and
Exchange Commission, c/o Remi PavlikSimon, 6432 General Green Way,
Alexandria, VA 22312; or send an
e-mail to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.
Dated: July 7, 2011.
Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–17815 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. IC–29719; 812–13919]
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, et al.;
Notice of Application and Temporary
Order
July 11, 2011.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Temporary order and notice of
application for a permanent order under
section 9(c) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’).
AGENCY:
Applicants
have received a temporary order
exempting them from section 9(a) of the
Act, with respect to an injunction
entered against J.P. Morgan Securities
LLC (‘‘JPMS’’) on July 8, 2011 by the
United States District Court for the
District of New Jersey (‘‘Injunction’’)
until the Commission takes final action
on an application for a permanent order.
Applicants also have applied for a
permanent order.
APPLICANTS: JPMS; Bear Stearns Asset
Management Inc. (‘‘BSAM’’), Bear
Stearns Health Innoventures
Management, L.L.C. (‘‘BSHIM’’), BSCGP
Inc. (‘‘BSGCP’’), Constellation Growth
Capital LLC (‘‘Constellation’’),
Constellation Ventures Management II,
LLC (‘‘Constellation II’’), Highbridge
Capital Management, LLC
(‘‘Highbridge’’), JF International
Management Inc. (‘‘JFIMI’’), JPMorgan
Asset Management (UK) Limited
(‘‘JPMAMUK’’), JPMorgan Distribution
Services, Inc. (‘‘JPMDS’’), J.P. Morgan
Institutional Investments, Inc. (‘‘JPMII’’),
J.P. Morgan Investment Management
Inc. (‘‘JPMIM’’), J.P. Morgan Latin
America Management Company, LLC
(‘‘JPMLAM’’), J.P. Morgan Partners, LLC
(‘‘JPMP’’), J.P. Morgan Private
Investments Inc. (‘‘JPMPI’’), OEP CoInvestors Management II, Ltd. (‘‘OEP
II’’), OEP Co-Investors Management III,
Ltd. (‘‘OEP III,’’ and together with OEP
II, the ‘‘OEP Entities’’), Security Capital
Research & Management Incorporated
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION:
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41829
(‘‘Security Capital’’), Sixty Wall Street
GP Corporation (‘‘Sixty Wall GP’’), Sixty
Wall Street Management Company, LLC
(‘‘Sixty Wall Management’’) and
Technology Coinvestors Management,
LLC (‘‘TCM’’) (each an ‘‘Applicant’’ and
collectively, the ‘‘Applicants’’).1
FILING DATE: The application was filed
on July 7, 2011 and amended on July 11,
2011.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
order granting the application will be
issued unless the Commission orders a
hearing. Interested persons may request
a hearing by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary and serving
applicants with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on August 5, 2011, and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an
affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Hearing requests should state
the nature of the writer’s interest, the
reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be
notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549–
1090; Applicants: JPMS, 338 Madison
Avenue, New York, NY 10179; BSAM,
BSHIM, BSCGP, Constellation II, JPMII,
JPMIM, JPMLAM, JPMP, JPMPI, Sixty
Wall GP, Sixty Wall Management and
TCM, 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY
10017; Constellation and Highbridge, 49
West 57th Street, 32nd Floor, New York,
NY 10019; JFIMI, 21st Floor, Chater
House, 8 Connaught Road Central, Hong
Kong; JPMAMUK, 125 London Wall,
London, UK, EC2Y5AJ; JPMDS, 1111
Polaris Parkway, Columbus, OH 43240;
OEP Entities, 320 Park Avenue, 18th
Floor, New York, NY 10022; and
Security Capital, 10 South Dearborn
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60603.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean
E. Minarick, Senior Counsel, at 202–
551–6811 or Daniele Marchesani,
Branch Chief, at 202–551–6821
(Division of Investment Management,
Office of Investment Company
Regulation).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a temporary order and
summary of the application. The
complete application may be obtained
via the Commission’s website by
1 Applicants request that any relief granted
pursuant to the application also apply to any other
company of which JPMS is or may become an
affiliated person within the meaning of section
2(a)(3) of the Act (together with the Applicants, the
‘‘Covered Persons’’).
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searching for the file number, or an
applicant using the Company name box,
at https://www.sec.gov/search/
search.htm, or by calling (202) 551–
8090.
Applicants’ Representations
1. JPMS, a limited liability company
organized under the laws of Delaware,
is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the ‘‘Exchange Act’’) and is
registered as an investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940, as amended (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’).
JPMS does not currently serve as
investment adviser, sub-adviser, or
depositor of any registered investment
company, or principal underwriter for
any registered open-end investment
company, registered unit investment
trust (‘‘UIT’’) or registered face amount
certificate company, or investment
adviser of any employees’ securities
company, as defined in section 2(a)(13)
of the Act (‘‘ESC’’) (‘‘Fund Service
Activities’’). ‘‘Funds’’ refers to the
registered investment companies or
ESCs for which a Covered Person
provides Fund Service Activities. The
ultimate parent of JPMS is J.P. Morgan
Chase & Co. (‘‘JPMC’’). JPMC is a
financial services holding company
whose businesses provide a broad range
of financial services to consumer and
corporate customers. JPMC is also the
ultimate parent of the other Applicants,
who, as subsidiaries of the same
ultimate parent, are under common
control with JPMS.
2. BSAM is registered as an
investment adviser under the Advisers
Act and serves as investment adviser or
sub-adviser to various Funds, including
as a general partner that provides
investment advisory services to various
ESCs, which provide investment
opportunities for highly compensated
key employees, officer, directors and
current consultants of JPMC and its
affiliates.2 BSHIM, BSCGP,
Constellation II, the OEP Entities and
TCM serve as general partners that
provide investment advisory services to
various ESCs. Constellation serves as a
sub-adviser to various ESCs. Highbridge,
JFIMI, JPMAMUK, JPMIM, JPMPI, and
Security Capital are registered as
investment advisers under the Advisers
Act and serve as investment advisers or
sub-advisers to various Funds.
JPMLAM, JPMP, Sixty Wall GP, Sixty
Wall Management are registered as
2 Every Applicant that is a general partner that
provides investment advisory services to one or
more ESCs believes, for purposes of the application,
that it is performing a function that falls within the
definition of ‘‘investment adviser’’ in section
2(a)(20) of the Act.
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investment advisers under the Advisers
Act and serve as investment advisers or
sub-advisers to ESCs. JPMDS is
registered as a broker-dealer under the
Exchange Act and serves as principal
underwriter to various Funds. JPMII is
registered as a broker-dealer under the
Exchange Act and serves as placement
agent to various Funds.3
3. On July 8, 2011, the United States
District Court for the District of New
Jersey entered a judgment, which
included the Injunction, against JPMS
(‘‘Judgment’’) in a matter brought by the
Commission.4 The Commission alleged
in the complaint (‘‘Complaint’’) that
prior to at least 2005, JPMS engaged in
fraudulent practices and made
misrepresentations and omissions in
connection with bidding on municipal
reinvestment instruments. The
Complaint alleged that JPMS engaged in
fraudulent practices,
misrepresentations, and omissions that
affected the prices of certain
reinvestment instruments, deprived
certain municipalities of a presumption
that their reinvestment instruments
were purchased at fair market value,
and/or jeopardized the tax-exempt
status of certain securities. Based on the
alleged misconduct described above, the
Complaint alleged that JPMS violated
section 15(c)(1)(A) of the Exchange Act.
Without admitting or denying any of the
allegations in the Complaint (other than
those relating to the jurisdiction of the
District Court over it and the subject
matter, solely for purposes of this
action), JPMS consented to the entry of
the Injunction and other relief,
including disgorgement, prejudgment
interest, and civil monetary penalties.
Applicants’ Legal Analysis
1. Section 9(a)(2) of the Act, in
relevant part, prohibits a person who
has been enjoined from engaging in or
continuing any conduct or practice in
connection with the purchase or sale of
a security, or in connection with
activities as an underwriter, broker or
dealer, from acting, among other things,
as an investment adviser or depositor of
any registered investment company or a
principal underwriter for any registered
open-end investment company,
registered UIT, or registered face3 JPMII serves as placement agent to JPMorgan
Institutional Trust (‘‘Trust’’) with respect to three of
its series. The Trust is an open-end investment
company registered under the Act, but its shares are
not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended. JPMII believes, for purposes of the
application, that it is performing a function that
falls within the definition of principal underwriter
in section 2(a)(29) of the Act.
4 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. J.P.
Morgan Securities LLC, Case No. 2:11–cv–03877–
WJM (D.N.J. July 8, 2011).
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amount certificate company or as
investment adviser of an ESC. Section
9(a)(3) of the Act makes the prohibition
in section 9(a)(2) applicable to a
company, any affiliated person of which
has been disqualified under the
provisions of section 9(a)(2). Section
2(a)(3) of the Act defines ‘‘affiliated
person’’ to include, among others, any
person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by, or under common
control, with the other person.
Applicants state that JPMS is an
affiliated person of each of the other
Applicants within the meaning of
section 2(a)(3) of the Act. Applicants
state that, as a result of the Injunction,
they would be subject to the
prohibitions of section 9(a) of the Act.
2. Section 9(c) of the Act provides that
the Commission shall grant an
application for exemption from the
disqualification provisions of section
9(a) of the Act if it is established that
these provisions, as applied to the
Applicants, are unduly or
disproportionately severe or that the
conduct of the Applicants has been such
as not to make it against the public
interest or the protection of investors to
grant the exemption. Applicants have
filed an application pursuant to section
9(c) seeking a temporary and permanent
order exempting them and other
Covered Persons from the
disqualification provisions of section
9(a).
3. Applicants believe they meet the
standard for exemption specified in
section 9(c). Applicants state that the
prohibitions of section 9(a) as applied to
them would be unduly and
disproportionately severe and that the
conduct of the Applicants has been such
as not to make it against the public
interest or the protection of investors to
grant the exemption from section 9(a).
4. Applicants state that the alleged
conduct giving rise to the Injunction did
not involve any of the Applicants
engaging in Fund Service Activities.
Applicants also state to the best of their
knowledge (i) none of the current
directors, officers, or employees of the
Applicants (other than JPMS) that are
involved in providing Fund Service
Activities (or any other persons in such
roles during the time period covered by
the Complaint) participated in the
conduct alleged in the Complaint to
have constituted the violations that
provided a basis for the Injunction; and
(ii) the personnel at JPMS who
participated in the conduct alleged in
the Complaint to have constituted the
violations that provided a basis for the
Injunction have had no, and will not
have any, involvement in providing
Fund Service Activities to the Funds on
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behalf of the Applicants or other
Covered Persons.
5. Applicants state that the inability of
the Applicants to engage in Fund
Service Activities would result in
potentially severe financial hardships
for the Funds they serve and the Funds’
shareholders or unitholders. Applicants
state that they will distribute written
materials, including an offer to meet in
person to discuss the materials, to the
boards of directors of the Funds
(excluding for this purpose the ESCs)
(the ‘‘Boards’’), including the directors
who are not ‘‘interested persons,’’ as
defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of
such Funds, and their independent legal
counsel as defined in rule 0–1(a)(6)
under the Act, if any, describing the
circumstances that led to the Injunction,
any impact on the Funds, and the
application. Applicants state that they
will provide the Boards with the
information concerning the Injunction
and the application that is necessary for
the Funds to fulfill their disclosure and
other obligations under the federal
securities laws.
6. Applicants also state that, if they
were barred from providing Fund
Service Activities to registered
investment companies and ESCs, the
effect on their businesses and
employees would be severe. Applicants
state that they have committed
substantial resources to establish an
expertise in providing Fund Service
Activities. Applicants further state that
prohibiting them from providing Fund
Service Activities would not only
adversely affect their businesses, but
would also adversely affect
approximately 940 employees that are
involved in those activities. Applicants
also state that disqualifying certain
Applicants from continuing to provide
investment advisory services to ESCs is
not in the public interest or in
furtherance of the protection of
investors. Because the ESCs have been
formed for the benefit of key employees,
officers, directors and current
consultants of JPMC and its affiliates, it
would not be consistent with the
purposes of the ESC provisions of the
Act to require another entity not
affiliated with JPMC to manage the
ESCs. In addition, participating
employees of JPMC and its affiliates
likely subscribed for interests in the
ESCs with the expectation that the ESCs
would be managed by an affiliate of
JPMC.
7. Applicants state that Applicants
and certain other affiliated persons of
the Applicants have previously received
orders under section 9(c) of the Act, as
the result of conduct that triggered
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section 9(a), as described in greater
detail in the application.
Applicants’ Condition
Applicants agree that any order
granting the requested relief will be
subject to the following condition:
Any temporary exemption granted
pursuant to the application shall be
without prejudice to, and shall not limit
the Commission’s rights in any manner
with respect to, any Commission
investigation of, or administrative
proceedings involving or against,
Covered Persons, including without
limitation, the consideration by the
Commission of a permanent exemption
from section 9(a) of the Act requested
pursuant to the application or the
revocation or removal of any temporary
exemptions granted under the Act in
connection with the application.
Temporary Order
The Commission has considered the
matter and finds that the Applicants
have made the necessary showing to
justify granting a temporary exemption.
Accordingly,
It is hereby ordered, pursuant to
section 9(c) of the Act, that Applicants
and any other Covered Persons are
granted a temporary exemption from the
provisions of section 9(a), solely with
respect to the Injunction, subject to the
condition in the application, from July
8, 2011, until the Commission takes
final action on their application for a
permanent order.
By the Commission.
Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–17816 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
29720; File No. 812–13741]
FQF Trust, et al.; Notice of Application
July 11, 2011.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice of an application for an
order under section 6(c) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from sections
2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the
Act and rule 22c–1 under the Act, under
sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and
(a)(2) of the Act, and under section
12(d)(1)(J) for an exemption from
sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of
the Act.
AGENCY:
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41831
Applicants
request an order that would permit (a)
Series of certain open-end management
investment companies whose portfolios
will consist of the component securities
of a securities index to issue shares
(‘‘Shares’’) redeemable in large
aggregations only (‘‘Creation Units’’); (b)
secondary market transactions in Shares
to occur at negotiated market prices; (c)
certain series to pay redemption
proceeds, under certain circumstances,
more than seven days after the tender of
Shares for redemption; (d) certain
affiliated persons of the series to deposit
securities into, and receive securities
from, the series in connection with the
purchase and redemption of Creation
Units; and (e) certain registered
management investment companies and
unit investment trusts outside of the
same group of investment companies as
the series to acquire Shares.
APPLICANTS: FQF Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’),
FFCM, LLC (‘‘FFCM,’’ and together with
any entity controlling, controlled by or
under common control with FFCM,
‘‘Adviser’’) and Foreside Fund Services,
LLC (the ‘‘Distributor’’).
DATES: Filing Dates: The application was
filed on December 31, 2009 and
amended on January 28, 2010, March 9,
2010, March 29, 2011, June 22, 2011,
and July 11, 2011.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
order granting the application will be
issued unless the Commission orders a
hearing. Interested persons may request
a hearing by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary and serving
applicants with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on August 5, 2011 and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an
affidavit, or for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Hearing requests should state
the nature of the writer’s interest, the
reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be
notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street,
NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090;
Applicants, 250 Congress Street, 5th
Floor, Boston, MA 02110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marilyn Mann, Special Counsel at (202)
551–6813, or Dalia Osman Blass, Branch
Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of
Investment Management, Office of
Investment Company Regulation).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION:
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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41829-41831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17816]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. IC-29719; 812-13919]
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, et al.; Notice of Application and
Temporary Order
July 11, 2011.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Temporary order and notice of application for a permanent order
under section 9(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'').
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Application: Applicants have received a temporary order
exempting them from section 9(a) of the Act, with respect to an
injunction entered against J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (``JPMS'') on
July 8, 2011 by the United States District Court for the District of
New Jersey (``Injunction'') until the Commission takes final action on
an application for a permanent order. Applicants also have applied for
a permanent order.
Applicants: JPMS; Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. (``BSAM''), Bear
Stearns Health Innoventures Management, L.L.C. (``BSHIM''), BSCGP Inc.
(``BSGCP''), Constellation Growth Capital LLC (``Constellation''),
Constellation Ventures Management II, LLC (``Constellation II''),
Highbridge Capital Management, LLC (``Highbridge''), JF International
Management Inc. (``JFIMI''), JPMorgan Asset Management (UK) Limited
(``JPMAMUK''), JPMorgan Distribution Services, Inc. (``JPMDS''), J.P.
Morgan Institutional Investments, Inc. (``JPMII''), J.P. Morgan
Investment Management Inc. (``JPMIM''), J.P. Morgan Latin America
Management Company, LLC (``JPMLAM''), J.P. Morgan Partners, LLC
(``JPMP''), J.P. Morgan Private Investments Inc. (``JPMPI''), OEP Co-
Investors Management II, Ltd. (``OEP II''), OEP Co-Investors Management
III, Ltd. (``OEP III,'' and together with OEP II, the ``OEP
Entities''), Security Capital Research & Management Incorporated
(``Security Capital''), Sixty Wall Street GP Corporation (``Sixty Wall
GP''), Sixty Wall Street Management Company, LLC (``Sixty Wall
Management'') and Technology Coinvestors Management, LLC (``TCM'')
(each an ``Applicant'' and collectively, the ``Applicants'').\1\
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\1\ Applicants request that any relief granted pursuant to the
application also apply to any other company of which JPMS is or may
become an affiliated person within the meaning of section 2(a)(3) of
the Act (together with the Applicants, the ``Covered Persons'').
Filing Date: The application was filed on July 7, 2011 and amended on
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 11, 2011.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the application
will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested
persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary
and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by
mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30
p.m. on August 5, 2011, and should be accompanied by proof of service
on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the
writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants: JPMS, 338 Madison
Avenue, New York, NY 10179; BSAM, BSHIM, BSCGP, Constellation II,
JPMII, JPMIM, JPMLAM, JPMP, JPMPI, Sixty Wall GP, Sixty Wall Management
and TCM, 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017; Constellation and
Highbridge, 49 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019; JFIMI,
21st Floor, Chater House, 8 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong; JPMAMUK,
125 London Wall, London, UK, EC2Y5AJ; JPMDS, 1111 Polaris Parkway,
Columbus, OH 43240; OEP Entities, 320 Park Avenue, 18th Floor, New
York, NY 10022; and Security Capital, 10 South Dearborn Street, Suite
1400, Chicago, IL 60603.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. Minarick, Senior Counsel, at
202-551-6811 or Daniele Marchesani, Branch Chief, at 202-551-6821
(Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company
Regulation).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a temporary order and
summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained
via the Commission's website by
[[Page 41830]]
searching for the file number, or an applicant using the Company name
box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm, or by calling (202) 551-
8090.
Applicants' Representations
1. JPMS, a limited liability company organized under the laws of
Delaware, is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ``Exchange Act'') and is
registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940, as amended (the ``Advisers Act''). JPMS does not currently
serve as investment adviser, sub-adviser, or depositor of any
registered investment company, or principal underwriter for any
registered open-end investment company, registered unit investment
trust (``UIT'') or registered face amount certificate company, or
investment adviser of any employees' securities company, as defined in
section 2(a)(13) of the Act (``ESC'') (``Fund Service Activities'').
``Funds'' refers to the registered investment companies or ESCs for
which a Covered Person provides Fund Service Activities. The ultimate
parent of JPMS is J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (``JPMC''). JPMC is a
financial services holding company whose businesses provide a broad
range of financial services to consumer and corporate customers. JPMC
is also the ultimate parent of the other Applicants, who, as
subsidiaries of the same ultimate parent, are under common control with
JPMS.
2. BSAM is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers
Act and serves as investment adviser or sub-adviser to various Funds,
including as a general partner that provides investment advisory
services to various ESCs, which provide investment opportunities for
highly compensated key employees, officer, directors and current
consultants of JPMC and its affiliates.\2\ BSHIM, BSCGP, Constellation
II, the OEP Entities and TCM serve as general partners that provide
investment advisory services to various ESCs. Constellation serves as a
sub-adviser to various ESCs. Highbridge, JFIMI, JPMAMUK, JPMIM, JPMPI,
and Security Capital are registered as investment advisers under the
Advisers Act and serve as investment advisers or sub-advisers to
various Funds. JPMLAM, JPMP, Sixty Wall GP, Sixty Wall Management are
registered as investment advisers under the Advisers Act and serve as
investment advisers or sub-advisers to ESCs. JPMDS is registered as a
broker-dealer under the Exchange Act and serves as principal
underwriter to various Funds. JPMII is registered as a broker-dealer
under the Exchange Act and serves as placement agent to various
Funds.\3\
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\2\ Every Applicant that is a general partner that provides
investment advisory services to one or more ESCs believes, for
purposes of the application, that it is performing a function that
falls within the definition of ``investment adviser'' in section
2(a)(20) of the Act.
\3\ JPMII serves as placement agent to JPMorgan Institutional
Trust (``Trust'') with respect to three of its series. The Trust is
an open-end investment company registered under the Act, but its
shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended. JPMII believes, for purposes of the application, that it is
performing a function that falls within the definition of principal
underwriter in section 2(a)(29) of the Act.
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3. On July 8, 2011, the United States District Court for the
District of New Jersey entered a judgment, which included the
Injunction, against JPMS (``Judgment'') in a matter brought by the
Commission.\4\ The Commission alleged in the complaint (``Complaint'')
that prior to at least 2005, JPMS engaged in fraudulent practices and
made misrepresentations and omissions in connection with bidding on
municipal reinvestment instruments. The Complaint alleged that JPMS
engaged in fraudulent practices, misrepresentations, and omissions that
affected the prices of certain reinvestment instruments, deprived
certain municipalities of a presumption that their reinvestment
instruments were purchased at fair market value, and/or jeopardized the
tax-exempt status of certain securities. Based on the alleged
misconduct described above, the Complaint alleged that JPMS violated
section 15(c)(1)(A) of the Exchange Act. Without admitting or denying
any of the allegations in the Complaint (other than those relating to
the jurisdiction of the District Court over it and the subject matter,
solely for purposes of this action), JPMS consented to the entry of the
Injunction and other relief, including disgorgement, prejudgment
interest, and civil monetary penalties.
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\4\ U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC, Case No. 2:11-cv-03877-WJM (D.N.J. July 8, 2011).
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Applicants' Legal Analysis
1. Section 9(a)(2) of the Act, in relevant part, prohibits a person
who has been enjoined from engaging in or continuing any conduct or
practice in connection with the purchase or sale of a security, or in
connection with activities as an underwriter, broker or dealer, from
acting, among other things, as an investment adviser or depositor of
any registered investment company or a principal underwriter for any
registered open-end investment company, registered UIT, or registered
face-amount certificate company or as investment adviser of an ESC.
Section 9(a)(3) of the Act makes the prohibition in section 9(a)(2)
applicable to a company, any affiliated person of which has been
disqualified under the provisions of section 9(a)(2). Section 2(a)(3)
of the Act defines ``affiliated person'' to include, among others, any
person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under
common control, with the other person. Applicants state that JPMS is an
affiliated person of each of the other Applicants within the meaning of
section 2(a)(3) of the Act. Applicants state that, as a result of the
Injunction, they would be subject to the prohibitions of section 9(a)
of the Act.
2. Section 9(c) of the Act provides that the Commission shall grant
an application for exemption from the disqualification provisions of
section 9(a) of the Act if it is established that these provisions, as
applied to the Applicants, are unduly or disproportionately severe or
that the conduct of the Applicants has been such as not to make it
against the public interest or the protection of investors to grant the
exemption. Applicants have filed an application pursuant to section
9(c) seeking a temporary and permanent order exempting them and other
Covered Persons from the disqualification provisions of section 9(a).
3. Applicants believe they meet the standard for exemption
specified in section 9(c). Applicants state that the prohibitions of
section 9(a) as applied to them would be unduly and disproportionately
severe and that the conduct of the Applicants has been such as not to
make it against the public interest or the protection of investors to
grant the exemption from section 9(a).
4. Applicants state that the alleged conduct giving rise to the
Injunction did not involve any of the Applicants engaging in Fund
Service Activities. Applicants also state to the best of their
knowledge (i) none of the current directors, officers, or employees of
the Applicants (other than JPMS) that are involved in providing Fund
Service Activities (or any other persons in such roles during the time
period covered by the Complaint) participated in the conduct alleged in
the Complaint to have constituted the violations that provided a basis
for the Injunction; and (ii) the personnel at JPMS who participated in
the conduct alleged in the Complaint to have constituted the violations
that provided a basis for the Injunction have had no, and will not have
any, involvement in providing Fund Service Activities to the Funds on
[[Page 41831]]
behalf of the Applicants or other Covered Persons.
5. Applicants state that the inability of the Applicants to engage
in Fund Service Activities would result in potentially severe financial
hardships for the Funds they serve and the Funds' shareholders or
unitholders. Applicants state that they will distribute written
materials, including an offer to meet in person to discuss the
materials, to the boards of directors of the Funds (excluding for this
purpose the ESCs) (the ``Boards''), including the directors who are not
``interested persons,'' as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of
such Funds, and their independent legal counsel as defined in rule 0-
1(a)(6) under the Act, if any, describing the circumstances that led to
the Injunction, any impact on the Funds, and the application.
Applicants state that they will provide the Boards with the information
concerning the Injunction and the application that is necessary for the
Funds to fulfill their disclosure and other obligations under the
federal securities laws.
6. Applicants also state that, if they were barred from providing
Fund Service Activities to registered investment companies and ESCs,
the effect on their businesses and employees would be severe.
Applicants state that they have committed substantial resources to
establish an expertise in providing Fund Service Activities. Applicants
further state that prohibiting them from providing Fund Service
Activities would not only adversely affect their businesses, but would
also adversely affect approximately 940 employees that are involved in
those activities. Applicants also state that disqualifying certain
Applicants from continuing to provide investment advisory services to
ESCs is not in the public interest or in furtherance of the protection
of investors. Because the ESCs have been formed for the benefit of key
employees, officers, directors and current consultants of JPMC and its
affiliates, it would not be consistent with the purposes of the ESC
provisions of the Act to require another entity not affiliated with
JPMC to manage the ESCs. In addition, participating employees of JPMC
and its affiliates likely subscribed for interests in the ESCs with the
expectation that the ESCs would be managed by an affiliate of JPMC.
7. Applicants state that Applicants and certain other affiliated
persons of the Applicants have previously received orders under section
9(c) of the Act, as the result of conduct that triggered section 9(a),
as described in greater detail in the application.
Applicants' Condition
Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will
be subject to the following condition:
Any temporary exemption granted pursuant to the application shall
be without prejudice to, and shall not limit the Commission's rights in
any manner with respect to, any Commission investigation of, or
administrative proceedings involving or against, Covered Persons,
including without limitation, the consideration by the Commission of a
permanent exemption from section 9(a) of the Act requested pursuant to
the application or the revocation or removal of any temporary
exemptions granted under the Act in connection with the application.
Temporary Order
The Commission has considered the matter and finds that the
Applicants have made the necessary showing to justify granting a
temporary exemption.
Accordingly,
It is hereby ordered, pursuant to section 9(c) of the Act, that
Applicants and any other Covered Persons are granted a temporary
exemption from the provisions of section 9(a), solely with respect to
the Injunction, subject to the condition in the application, from July
8, 2011, until the Commission takes final action on their application
for a permanent order.
By the Commission.
Cathy H. Ahn,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-17816 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P